Automatic fender.



L. BOX.

AUTOMATIC FENDER APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913.

1,106,772.. Patented Aug. 11,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

%//5 HTTX THE NORRIS PETERS COHPHWO LITHOH WASHINGTON. 0. c.

L. BOX.

AUTOMATIG FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913.

1,106,772. Patented Aug. 11,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TH E NORRIS PETERS CO4, PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

LEONARD BOX, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM F. HABEKOST, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC FENDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD Box, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic fenders for automobiles and the like, wherein a net is automatically released and lowered by means of the contact with the releasing bar of the obstruction in the path of the vehicle, and its objects are first, to provide means for projecting a suitable net in an inclined position in front of the vehicle, second, to provide means for auton'iatically releasing the said net, third, to provide means operated from the drivers position for releasing the net and'fourth, to provide means for re turning the net to its normal position. I accomplish theseseveral objects by means ofv the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present specification, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts throughout the said drawings and specifications and in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the front Wheels and frame of an auto with the fender attached thereto in a lowered position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of Fig. 1 along the line XX, showing the normal position of the net, the means for releasing the same and means for returning the net to its normal position in full lines, the dotted lines indicating the net in its lowered position. Fig. 3 is a broken sectional view of the net in a lowered position.

My invent-ion consists substantially of parallel vertical frame plates 1 suitably secured by means hereinafter more fully described, between the front ends of the ve hicle frames 2 and the front springs 3. Inclined housings 1 are rigidly secured to the adjacent inner sides of the frame plates 1.

Movably mounted within the housings 4 are net support-members 5 having teeth 5' on the upper edges thereof. Near the lower end of the members 5 are rubber tired wheels 6 rotatably secured thereto. Parallel transverse rods 7 and 8 are rigidly secured to the lower ends of the members 5.

Gears 9 are rigidl secured to a transverse shaft 10 rota ably mounted within the bearings 11 and are in mesh with the teeth 5 of the members 5. A collar 12 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 25, 1913.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914. Serial No. 775,803.

rigidly secured to the center of the shaft 10. Coil springs 14, having their inner ends secured to the collar 12 and their outer ends to the bearings 11, are coiled upon the shaft 10. The shaft 10 is also provided with a squared end 10 adapted to receive a crank or other suitable means for rotating the said shaft against the tension of the springs lt thereon. Within vertical slots 15 near the front edges of the frame plates 1, is slidably mounted a transverse bar 16 to which is secured, parallel thereto, a rod 17, the said bar 16 being retained at the upper ends of the slots 15 by means of latches 18 rigidly secured to a shaft 27 rotatably mounted within the frame plates 1.

16. A transverse releasing bar 20 is susended in front of the vehicle by means of the arms 21 which are fulcrumed at 22. A link 23 connects the upper ends of the arms 21 with the upper ends of the latches 18. The transverse rods 17 and 8 are connected by means of the vertical parallel rods 2%, said parallel rods 24 being pivotally coir nected to the said rods 17 and 8. A suitable net 25 is extended between the rods 17 and 8 and between the rods 8 and 7 secured to the lower ends of the members 5. An arm 28 is rigidly secured to one end of the shaft 27. A suitable rod 30 extends from the lower end of the arm 28 to the station of the driver of the vehicle. Suitable supports are secured to the frames 2 of the ve hicle, the opposite ends of which engage slots 33 within the frame plates 1 and are vertically movable therein, while arms 34 rigidly secure the said frame plates 1 to the springs 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: The normal position of the device is illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The device is set by turning the shaft 10 which rotates the said shaft 10, and the gears 9 thereon, against the tension of the springs 14, the inner ends of which are secured to the collar 12 upon the said shaft, the outer ends of the said springs being secured to the stationary bearing 11. As the gears 9 rotate, the teeth thereof engage the teeth 5 of the members 5 and cause the said members to move upwardly into the housings a. At the same time the vertical parallel rods 24: secured at their lower ends to the rod 8, cause the rod 17 and the bar 16 to which it is attached, to move upwardly within the vertical slots 15 until the said bar 16 is engaged and retained by the lower endsof the latches 18. When the driver of the vehicle Observes that contact with an obstruction or person is unavoidable, the rod 30, connected to the lower end of the arm 28 on the shaft 27 is pulled, which causes the latches 18 on the said shaft 27 to release the bar 16. As the bar 16 is released, the tension of the springs 14, acting through the shaft 10 and the gears 9 thereon, cause the members 5 to be projected into the position indicated in Figssl and 3 of the drawings. Should the driver for any reason fail to pull the rod 30, the fender will be released by contact of the obstruction with the rod 20 which, acting through the arms 21 and links 23 secured to the tops of the latches 18, will release the bar 16 and cause the members 5 to be projected in the manner hereinbefore described. When it is desired to re turn the fender to its upper position, the same is accomplished by turning the shaft 10 against the tension of the springs 14, which causes the gears 9 to rotate and return the members 5 into the housings 4. The upper portion of the frame plates 1 are supported by means of the connections 32, which are rigidly secured to the frames 2, and which'engage and are movable in slots 33 of the frame plates 1. In this manner the frames 2 are capable of vertical movement relatively to the springs 3 and at the same time assists in the support of the frame plates 1. 1

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An automatic fender comprising vertical frame plates secured to the front of a vehicle, each plate having a vertical slot near the front edge thereof; suitable housings secured to the frame plates; members slidably mounted within the housings; a transverse bar slidably mounted within the slots; suitable connections between the bar in the slots and the members within the housings; a net secured to the said bar and the said slidable members; means for retaining the said bar at the upper ends of the slots and thereby retaining the slidable members within the housings and means for releasing it. 1

2. An automatic fender for vehicles comprising vertical parallel frame plates suitably secured to the front of a vehicle and having vertical slots near the front edges thereof; forwardly inclined housings rigidly secured to the inner faces of the frame plates; slidable members, within the inclined housings, having teeth on the upper edges and transverse bars'secured to the lower endsthereof; a transverse bar slidably mounted within the vertical slots of the 7 frame plates and having a rod secured parallel thereto; a transverse shaft rotatably mounted in the frame plates and adjacent to the said transverse bar and having latches secured thereto, said latchesbeing adapted to retain the said transverse bar in the upper ends of the said slots; fa spring controlled shaft rotatably mounted in the frame plates and" having gears thereon adapted to engage the teeth in the upper edges of the slidable members; a-suitable net secured between the rod parallel to the transverse bar and the rods on the lower ends of the slidable members; and means for releasing the transverse bar from the drivers station of the vehicle to which ,the

fender is attached. 7 w a 3. In an automatic fender for vehicles, the combmation of vertlcal parallel frame plates rigidly'secured to the front ofthe vehicle and having vertical slots near the front edges thereof; forwardly inclined housings rigidly secured to the-frame plates; members slidably mounted within the housings and having "teeth on the upper edges .1

and transverse rods secured to the lower ends thereof; wheels rotatably mounted near the lower ends of the slidable mem here; a spring controlled transverse shaft having a squared end and gears thereon adapted to engage the teeth in the upper edges of the slidable members, a transverse bar slidably mounted within the slots of the frame plates and having a rOd secured to the upper front'corners of the frame plates; depending arm's 'fulcrumed to the angle bar; 'suitableconnections between the upper ends of the depending arms and' the latches; and a transverse bar rigidly secured to the lower ends of the depending arms.

" In witness whereof I hereunto set mysignature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. r LEONARD BOX.

lVitnesses: V Gno. SoHMrrz,

CHAS. F. DUISENBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

